Less is more, especially when credits are not familiar. It is better to have credits with an acclaimed director or a notable theatre than to have credits at theatres no one has heard of.

The most important information should be at the top...your name, phone number & representative, if applicable. Websites and email addresses at bottom. NO HOME ADDRESSES or HOME NUMBERS. Your height and weight are not the most important things about you, so put them at the bottom of your resume; the reader has to scan your resume before typing you out for being too tall or too skinny. Of course, you don't have to put your height and weight on your resume at all. Hair and eye color are no longer necessary on your resume because your pictures should be in color.

Credits should be divided into the following categories:

Theater (NY and Regional Theaters can be separate if you've worked a good deal in each), Film, TV (or combine them if you've not done a lot), Musical Theatre. If you are a musical theater and legit theater performer, those should be separate categories. If you're in NY, Theater should be first on your resume unless you have a prominent film or TV credit. An example would be if you starred in a well known film or TV project but have a good amount of Off-Broadway theater, the film/TV project takes precedent on the resume.

Remember, most important info toward the top! Most people don't read more than a few lines of your resume. Classics, Concerts and/or Recordings may be listed but only if they are prominent. Last, your education. Include Improv/Stand Up only if that is one of your focuses; don't include it if you're not pursuing it.

Don't include high school credits unless you are in high school.

Your college and university training is important, as are any classes that are special and unique, i.e., mime or Shakespeare, voice, dance or acting classes of well-known teachers.

Specials Skills: Please make sure they are appropriately special. These are NOT examples of special skills: French Kissing, Nudity, Vulgarity, Fart on Command...even Drivers License (important for commercials and extra work, but you would be asked or have a form to fill out). Accents are borderline as special skills for me. Exotic or difficult accents are interesting and may start a conversation. General accents such as British or Southern are not special to me. Louisiana or Mississippian accents are important. Cockney or Queens English is important.

Remember, you want your resume to invite conversation without confusing, offending, or - worse - boring someone. See SAMPLE RESUME